When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
'19 running hot - should I ask for a new radiator?
Happy New Year!
Traded in my 17 GS for a 19 Z06 on November 30. Drove home that night, about 650 miles from the dealer near Atlanta. Beautiful car, good deal, fair trade. Rotated between 5th, 6th and 7th gears on the ride home with no cruise control to properly break in the engine.
Noticed right away it ran much hotter than my GS. Oil and water temps went from 190s in the GS to 210s in the Z06. Thought maybe it was just breaking in, or thermostat moved hotter for emissions compliance. Emailed the sales guy the next day - he emailed me back saying he checked with a couple people and this was within the normal operating range.
Had my oil changed in West Palm Beach a couple days later. Service writer said the same thing, this is normal.
Drove it hard this week and it still ran pretty warm. I'm now at 1500 miles. Thought I would do some investigating, and then change to an 80/20 coolant mix. Took the radiator duct off and this is my October 2018 built radiator:
Here's my temps at 500 miles after being on the highway on a 60 degree night...
I'm going to track this car occasionally, and its always hot here. Should I take it in and ask for a new radiator? I doubt the dents in the fins would contribute much but why put up with this? Why does Chevy continue to do crap like this?
Last edited by fatsport; 01-01-2019 at 01:09 PM.
Reason: year incorrect
Normal temps. Even in the dead heat of summer i can't seem to break 220-225F with the AC on.
If you had an auto i would say definitely keep an eye on temps. The overheating issue is more with the auto Z's. You should be ok. Those temps are fine.
Thanks for your input guys. I wonder if it’s a 17 to 19 thing. A friend has a 17 Z and he says it runs 195-200 on the highway.
Changing the coolant to 80/20 today. Can’t hurt, and won’t be running in any cold weather.
There's no way cruising on the highway without engine load on 60 degree night runs at 215 normal. The car should run at thermostat temp at that low low load.
Thanks for your input guys. I wonder if it’s a 17 to 19 thing. A friend has a 17 Z and he says it runs 195-200 on the highway.
Changing the coolant to 80/20 today. Can’t hurt, and won’t be running in any cold weather.
My '18 M7 is always hovering a few degrees below 220. I haven't worried about it for a second.
There's no way cruising on the highway without engine load on 60 degree night runs at 215 normal. The car should run at thermostat temp at that low low load.
It's totally normal. The supercharger creates a lot of heat.
If you have a Z, you would know it's normal. But if i remember correctly you have an LT1 with a blower, like in your avatar? If so that's different than a standard Z06 setup.
Oil and water temps went from 190s in the GS to 210s in the Z06. Thought maybe it was just breaking in, or thermostat moved hotter for emissions compliance. Emailed the sales guy the next day - he emailed me back saying he checked with a couple people and this was within the normal operating range.
Had my oil changed in West Palm Beach a couple days later. Service writer said the same thing, this is normal.
Yup, normal.
On a longish trip over Christmas, my temps never got over 180, but it was mostly easy freeway cruising, and the ambient temperatures were around freezing.
As stated before, the temperatures are normal. The slightly bent radiators won't make a difference. They can be easily straightened with a small screwdriver or a fin straightening tool if it concerns you.
I think its a bit high but nothing to be concerned with. I run those temps at the track when the ambient is in the 70's. I would take the car into the dealer with pics like we see here and ask them to either comb (there's a special tool) the radiator or replace it. That's a lot of fins to be flattened on a new car, unacceptable. Could that effect cooling, maybe. If I was in Florida all the time I would be running 80\20 coolant too and 90/10 if tracking it.
My 16 Z m7 runs from the low 180’s to mid 190’s. Even in town traffic runs 197. This is with the stock stat. I have a 2300 maggy , LT kooks afe x tank and tuned. I don’t really know what’s normal. BTW at my last Mojave’s magnum mile before the maggy went on, ran 197mph and the temp stayed at 190 and oil temp just under 200 degrees.
Last edited by andreas g.; 01-03-2019 at 10:04 PM.
That’s too hot. I’m at 185 coolant and 185 oil on a cool night cruising on the freeway. Creeping through traffic for a couple mins and idling at a couple lights brings it up to around 200 coolant 190 oil after exiting the freeway.
even in the summer mild day I’m around 195/195 if just cruising. Is this an automatic thing to run that hot? Mine is a manual.
It's a manual. Could this be a '19 model year change? It's supposed to have a larger radiator, larger intercoolers to run cooler on the track. Maybe they moved the thermostat temperature up for emissions, knowing there's enough cooling to keep it there?
Emailed the sales guy the next day - he emailed me back saying he checked with a couple people and this was within the normal operating range.
Had my oil changed in West Palm Beach a couple days later. Service writer said the same thing, this is normal.
The sales guy checked with some people & said it's within normal operating range. A service writer said it's within normal operating range. A number of us in the posts above mentioned the temps are perfectly normal for a stock Z06 & the cars above include M7s. I think you have your answer.
The sales guy checked with some people & said it's within normal operating range. A service writer said it's within normal operating range. A number of us in the posts above mentioned the temps are perfectly normal for a stock Z06 & the cars above include M7s. I think you have your answer.
it’s not but keep saying that.
OP- try going 65-70mph in 7th for at least 5 mins on flat ground and report back. If you’re running at 85mph in 6th maybe that’s normal I don’t do that on the freeway.
Last edited by Pacembellum; 01-02-2019 at 04:12 AM.
01-01-2019, 01:08 PM
'19 running hot - should I ask for a new radiator?
